Device for determining the tackiness of inks, particularly printing inks

Claim 2

In a device for continuously monitoring the tackiness of inks in an operating printing press, the combination comprising an inking system having means for feeding of ink from a source to a printing plate, a pair of belts each having parallel first and second supporting pulleys defining adjacent and remote runs of the belts, the first pulleys being mounted closely adjacent one another and the second pulleys being mounted in slightly spaced relation to provide local contact between the belts at the first pulleys plus a small angle of nominal divergence between the adjaceNt runs, means for driving the belts so that the adjacent runs move at the same speed in the direction of the divergence and for transferring ink from the inking system to the belts in the region of the first pulleys so that the adjacent runs of the belts tend to cling together, and resilient means for establishing predetermined tension in the belts so that the length of cling as measured from the region of local contact constitutes an accurate measure of the degree of tackiness of the ink.

Claim 3

In a device for continuously monitoring the tackiness of inks in an operating printing press, the combination comprising an inking system including an ink feed roller and having means for feeding of ink from a source to a printing plate, a pair of belts each having parallel first and second supporting pulleys defining adjacent and remote runs of the belts, the first pulleys being mounted closely adjacent one another and the second pulleys being mounted in slightly spaced relation to produce local contact between the belts at the first pulleys plus a small angle of nominal divergence between the adjacent runs, one of the first pulleys being positioned in running engagement with the surface of the ink feed roller for driving of the belts at the same speed in the direction of divergence and for constant transfer of ink to the belts so that the adjacent runs of the belts tend to cling together, and resilient means for establishing predetermined tension in the belts so that the length of cling as measured from the region of local contact constitutes an accurate measure of the degree of tackiness of the ink.

Claim 4

In a device for continuously monitoring the tackiness of inks in an operating printing press, the combination comprising an inking system including an ink feed roller and having means for feeding of ink from a source to a printing plate, a pair of belts each having parallel first and second supporting pulleys defining adjacent and remote runs of the belts, the first pulleys being mounted closely adjacent one another and the second pulleys being mounted in slightly spaced relation to produce local contact between the belts at the first pulleys plus a small angle of nominal divergence between the adjacent runs, one of the first pulleys being positioned in running engagement with the surface of the ink feed roller for driving of the belts at the same speed in the direction of divergence and for constant transfer of ink to the belts so that the adjacent runs of the belts tend to cling together, and resilient means for establishing predetermined tension in the belts so that the length of cling as measured from the region of local contact constitutes an accurate measure of the degree of tackiness of the ink.

Claim 5

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of the second supporting pulleys is resilient mounted.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which both of the second supporting pulleys are resiliently mounted.

Claim 7

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which means are provided for swinging one of the second pulleys about its associated first pulley and for holding it in a predetermined position with respect to the other second pulley thereby to adjust the angle of nominal divergence between them.

Claim 8

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of the second pulleys has a stop surface to define a limit position for establishing a nominal divergence angle for the belts together with biasing means acting in a direction toward the stop surface, the biasing means being at such a force level as to be at least partially overcome by the clinging force between the belts so that the effective divergence angle is reduced as a result of the clinging force.

Claim 9

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which at least one of the belts is formed of elastic material.

Claim 10

The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the angle of the nominal divergence between the adjacent runs of belt lies within the range of approximately 1* to approximately 10* .